Chapter Three
1157 Words
Ffion
I found my older brother easily enough, even in a city this big he was exactly where I knew he would be.
“Rhyd,” pulling him away from the pretty human girl he was kissing in the corner of the bar, I whirled him towards me. For a second, he swore, the scowl on his face murderous and then he saw me and the frown vanished.
“Little sister.” He crushed me against his chest. Plastering my hair with kisses that I tried to dodge. I loved my brother, he had always looked out for me but I didn’t want his lip anywhere near me. With Rhydian you just didn’t know where they had been. Tall great looking and with a reputation that rivalled even my father’s back before he had met my mother. My big brother had a way of sweet talking the ladies into doing just about anything.
And that anything usually resulted in them getting naked.
My brother, as much as I loved him was a playboy. It kind of grossed me out.
“Your back quick…. Was it that easy? Anton will be proud.” His arm tight about my shoulders he made a move towards the bar.
“No, it wasn’t that easy Rhydian, and where is Anton. I need to talk to him.”
Something must have shown on my face because his usual easy going smile was replaced by a worried one. The grip he had on my shoulder slipped to my arm as he turned me to face him. “Did he hurt you?”
My brother had many faults but being protective over me wasn’t one of him. He had always cared for me. Looked out for me. He was the only family I had ever really known in my life. And he was fiercely loyal.
“I’m fine, stop fretting.” Sometimes I was sure he forgot that I was a grown ass woman, a killer and thought I was still the little girl he needed to look out for. “It’s not that.” I shook his hands off.
“Then what is it?”
I faltered then, my mouth opening and closing. I didn’t know how I was going to tell him when I didn’t understand it myself.
“Ffion.” Losing both hands around my arms he shook me. “Will you just tell me what is going on?”
“It’s nothing, I just need to speak to Anton and….”
“I swear if you do not tell me right now, I am going to….” He had our fathers temper as well as his good looks.
“Fine, he bested me Rhydian.” My voice dropped to a whisper. “He snuck up on me and before I knew it he had a knife at my throat.”
Rhydian’s eyes widened and then narrowed into slits. In the dim light of the bar, I saw them flash red for just a second before he gained control of himself. “How is that even possible Ffion. No one gets the jump on you.”
“Well, this one did.” Absently I touched the tiny mark on my throat and my brothers’ eyes locked on it straight away.
“He cut you?” his voice seethed with anger.
“It’s a scratch, that’s not what worried me. Its…”
“What Is he? You said dragon before.”
“He Is a dragon, I’m not wrong about that but he’s faster than any dragon I have ever come across.” My voice dipped lower still. Meaning he had to lean in close to hear me. “I barely got away from him Rhydian if I hadn’t of used magic I wouldn’t have. Do you think he’s one of the Mad Ones experiments?”
They popped up now and then. Beasts from the darkest recesses of a crazy mind. The resistance, what was left of the old resistance. Those of us scattered across the cities of the world put them down as quickly as we could. Sometimes we died trying.
“Maybe, we should really get in touch with Anton.”
“Yeah, we should. I need to talk to him.”
“What aren’t you telling me Ffion?” As usual my brother was too perceptive.
“It’s nothing.” I tried to brush it under the table. but one flash of his eyes and I knew he wasn’t going to let it drop. “It’s probably nothing but I thought I felt. just for a second.” I swallowed hard. “I thought I felt the mate bond snap into place.”
For a second Rhydian just stared at me with his mouth open. “Come with me.”
Half dragging me towards the door, I stumbled to keep up with him. His grip on my arm as he dragged me out of the bar and into the rainy litter covered street was bruising hard.
“Slow down, Rhydian.” I yanked my arm from his grasp. Finally manging to get my feet under me properly so I didn’t slip on the wet pavement, “Or explain to me what the rush is.”
“We need to get home.”
Planting my feet firmly, I set my shoulders. I didn’t understand his sudden worry. The sudden need to get me home. “I’m not going to go anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on.” And I meant it.
“Are you sure you felt the mate bond?” his eyes searched my face wildly.
I shrugged. “Pretty sure, I mean I’ve never felt it before so I can’t be certain. Rhydian you are scaring me. Tell me what’s going on.”
“We need to get you out of sight, and I need to phone the Fae.”
Throwing back my head I laughed. The rain cooling my face. “Come off it, Rhydian, fairies aren’t real. Everyone knows they aren’t.”
“I’m talking about the Fae dragons. He isn’t meant to be here yet. You are too young the oracle…” He flinched as I glared at him. I hated it when he called our mother the Oracle. She was mum. She would always be mum even if I didn’t know her.
Catching my look, he smiled sadly. “Mum said he would come back but it’s not meant to be for years. We aren’t ready and….”
Stomping my foot, I splashed cold water up my legs. “Will you please tell me what the hell is going on Rhydian before I start screaming.”
“If you felt the mate bond then it can only mean he’s back.”
“Who’ back? Will you stop talking in riddles and just answer me,” I was losing my patience.
“Wren and Opals son, Gabriel is back.”
- Writer
